Bless the Broken Road
by XoShaee
Summary: Madeline Smyth thought that Tom would be the person she was going to marry... until he died shattering her future and her will. When Maddie's brother Michael is given a job to save the life of a member of their makeshift family, Clenna, she goes along to keep him out of trouble. Instead, she meets someone as broken as she is... and together they heal... sort of. OC/Declan
1. Chapter 1

Madeline Smyth was shivering, her arms wrapped around her as she listened to this man that she did not know make a deal with her brother for the life of Clenna. She was shaken to her very core. She couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her face, quick and hot. Her throat and eyes were burning and she wanted to be thrown overboard to drown. She was alone. She was alone and she had watched the only man that she had ever loved die in front of her. She looked down at her hands as they shook. They were clean. Her fingers, wrinkled from her time overboard were moving of their own accord as she simply stared at them. Her sight was blurry, her thoughts muddled. She was whispering something but even she couldn't understand what it was.

She and her brother, Michael were all that they'd had… until they'd come across Tom and Clenna Dolan anyway.

The four of them had become a sort of family and maybe it was partially because they never spoke to anyone except each other but the four of them had easily transitioned in to a system that more or less worked. Madeline and Tom had gravitated towards each other much like their siblings had done.

Madeline 'Maddie' Smyth was more than smitten with Tom and he with her. They had been that way for quite some time now. He had been her first kiss, that boy, and they would be married one day. That was what they had planned anyway, when they'd laid awake at night beneath the stars. They'd done so because they couldn't afford a roof over their head, but it had felt like recreation and time away from reality to Maddie. They would be together forever. She knew it and he knew it and her brother knew it and his sister knew it. They had thought the four of them would be a family.

Not anymore.

No. Not anymore.

Blood. His blood had splattered on to her. She had watched. She had seen Tom die right in front of her, shot dead like some sort of animal. And Clenna had run off and been chased by men. Michael had taken one side of the ship and she the other. She had jumped head first in to the water below. She was an average swimmer, as she was with everything. She had managed. She had gotten to shore and been met with the sight of boots. Stupid, stupid, boots. She had been hauled to her feet and dragged back to the stupid damned ship and she had found herself starring at him- at Tom, the man that she'd grown up thinking she would marry, as he laid in a pool of his blood. She had found herself looking at Tom, shaking uncontrollably and crying to herself and then she had found it. She had found it somewhere deep beneath her fear, her heartache, the way that she felt about herself and the way that she felt about Michael, beneath her inhabitations, beside her optimism, on a shelf opposite of her pain- her will to live, a little more than dusty with cracks big enough for light to shine through. She'd made another run for it. She had thrown the closest thing she could manage at the nearest man and when his comrades had gone to help relieve some of his distress she had run for it. Maddie had run for it and thrown something off of the ship to sound like she'd taken to the water again and then she'd rushed down a series of steps faster than she thought physically possible.

She had taken the stairs two at a time and when she'd been yanked to the side as soon as she'd reached the bottom she had let out a short yelp that was instantly silenced by her brother's hand over her mouth. He had yanked her in to him and she had broken down further. She wasn't sure how she had found it inside of her to run before, but her legs were absolutely worthless then.

They gave out.

Michael had pulled her in to a corner behind quite a number of merchandise, wooden barrels and the works and he had sat far too close to her for comfort as they hid for their very lives.

She had lost herself. Maddie remembered that. She'd taken to a corner and she'd cried. She'd cried for herself and her brother and Clenna and God, she cried for Tom. She cried for all the things that he would never get to do. She cried for all that he wished he could accomplish and would never get the chance. She cried silently and hugged her knees to her chest. That was how her travel was spent; crying and sleeping.

They'd been discovered. She remembered that. She remembered them both being dragged up to the main deck. Her brother had done something. Yes, he had done something in order to save their lives. She couldn't remember what. He had saved the pair of them and they had been fed- Michael more than her. She had no appetite. She ate what her elder brother all but stuffed down her throat and she drank water, a lot of it. She didn't speak, but she did listen.

Maddie was glued to her brother's side.

When Michael had been summoned to speak to the man whowas supposedly in charge she had followed without an invitation. She had followed him inside and now she sat in a corner of the room, her hands shaking again.

She was used to being poor. She was used to not having enough to eat. She accepted that. She accepted the fact that some people starved and some froze and never made it through the winter. Those were facts. Those were things that simply happened… but this… this was different. She had seen a dead person or two but she had never seen a man die and never had she thought she would see it in such a violent manner and right before her very eyes.

Tom.

Maddie took a few quick breaths and swallowed her spit despite the fact that her mouth seemed drier than it had ever been in all of her days of living.

There was two of them up there with her brother. She had never noticed the younger one. He didn't seem to like Michael. Maddie clasped her hands together and tried to get her head to stop spinning. She pinched her leg with one of her nails, hard enough to leave marks through her clothing, partially to wake herself up and partially so that for the first time in several days she could feel something- anything at all.

The pounding in Maddie's skull settled just a little and she looked up and at her brother with her bloodshot eyes and tear stained cheeks and she could hear what they were saying for what seemed like some sort of otherworldly experience.

Declan.

Maddie kept her head down and eyes diverted.

Whoever this man was, he wanted her brother to do something for him for Clenna's safety. He wanted Michael to do something to this man- to Declan Harp.


	2. Chapter 2

Maddie and her brother were ushered off of the ship moved forward with the array of men. They hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk. They had been separated in to their own bedrooms and thrown clothes so that they didn't look… didn't look what? Poor? Tortured and tormented? She wasn't sure. She felt Michael's hand close around her own and he squeezed. She took a shaky breath. She needed to pull herself together. She wasn't weak. She and Michael only had each other. They needed to lean on each other and Michael would never lean on her while she was like this. She needed to get her thoughts together so that she and Michael could save Clenna. She was all the family they had left and they were all of the family that she had now. Maddie thought about the chances that Clenna was off somewhere, without knowledge that her brother was dead, and then quickly beat the thought down in to the deepest, darkest part of her brain.

"What do you have to do?" she asked her brother instead.

And his head quickly turned to her. He smiled softly at her, what he hoped was an assuring look.

"He wants me to work for the most powerful company in the world," Michael sighed, "He needs me to find someone, a trapper by the name of-"

"Declan Harp," Maddie interrupted, "I heard."

"Yes, well, his father was originally from our part of the world. I will tell him that I was a stowaway on their ship and that I want to make my fortune in the fur trade," Michael looked forward again, "I'm supposed to gain his trust, and then return to Chesterfield and give away his location and the number of men in his command."

"You're going to set a man up to be killed?" Maddie hissed.

"Or jailed," Michael said softly, "I don't have a choice."

"Michael," she took a breath, "You're right."

"I'll be paid handsomely in silver and they'll forget about the robbery charges and Clenna will be freed."

Maddie looked at her brother. She really looked at him, the hope etched on his face.

"Michael, what if he betrays your trust?"

"We can't think that way," Michael dropped her hand, "This is all we've got."

She watched Michael stray away from her and regretted opening her mouth. She was not backing down. She needed to keep her head. She needed to be her brother's voice of reason. She followed after him and grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around to face her.

"How are we going to find him?"

"We?" Michael looked at his younger sister, "You told me it was a fool's errand a few seconds ago," he scoffed.

"It is, but I'm not going to let you go on it alone," Maddie sighed, "How do we find Declan, Michael?"

"There's a guide at Fort James who will take us in to the wilderness. All I have to do is let it be known that we're Irish and looking for our countrymen."

"If Declan is that easy to find, why has no one found him?" Maddie sighed.

"I don't know," Michael shrugged, "They told me that if I spread that around Declan will actually find me."

"Us," she corrected, "He will find us."

Michael ran a hand through his hair.

"You're all I have left," he said softly, "If I fail and they take Clenna, there will only be you and I. I don't want you to get involved, Maddie. I just- I want you to stay safe."

"No where is safe for me," Maddie snapped, "The only place where I'm safe is beside you and that is where I will remain until my dying breath. Do you understand me, Michael?" her voice was rising and her eyes were starting to get blurry with tears, "You aren't leaving me!"

Michael looked around at the people that were looking back at them and Maddie swallowed her sob and wiped her eyes.

"Maddie-"

"I'm sorry," she took a shaky breath, "Michael, I'm sorry," she blew out a gust of air and ran her hands down her stomach, "I'm- I'm working on it. My head is just filled with…" she let her voice trail off and Michael nodded in understand.

"It's fine. We'll be fine," he forced a smile.

He was awkward. He had always been awkward. She had always been the smooth talker. She had always been the one that got shit done for him… but now she wasn't so sure. She closed her eyes, just for a brief moment, just to center herself.

"You killed my friend you bastard!"

Maddie's eyes flew open and she looked around until she spotted him, her brother spewing out words of hatred at a red coat. She walked over swiftly.

"Yeah," the man had continued walking, "I'm glad that little shit rat got what he deserved."

"He had a name!" Michael snapped, "Tom," he spit it out as if it left a horrid taste in his mouth, "and you'd better show him some respect!"

Maddie placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. She was the one with the anger issues usually. He was always the one with the better head on their shoulders. She was a smooth talker, sure, but Michael had always been the brains. He and Clenna had always dragged her and Tom out of trouble. Maddie didn't blame him for being angry. She admired him for it… but she needed him alive. She needed to keep the only person she had left here, with her in the New World.

"Michael," she said his name softly.

He shook her hand off of his shoulder and continued to stalk after the man. Maddie followed

"You hear that?!" Michael snapped.

The man spun around and walked up to Michael, who took a step back and right in to his sister,

"I should just stick my blade in your chest," the man chuckled, "and let you bleed out like a little piggy."

"And Lord Benton will have you hanged," Michael squared his shoulders.

"All I got to do is take you to our guide," the man pushed Michael in one of his shoulders… hard, "you can go off and die out in the woods on your own time," he chuckled and spun around and right in to another man.

Maddie grabbed her brother's shoulder so that he wouldn't walk after the redcoat.

"Watch where you're going!" the redcoat snapped.

Maddie took in the man before them. He looked grimy and hungry. He looked… like them.

"We aren't looking for any trouble!" she called over her brother's shoulder.

"Stay out of it little girl!" the redcoat snapped.

Michael instinctively stepped in front of his sister and the redcoat looked at the dirty man before him. He closed in on him and then Maddie covered her mouth as the smaller man stabbed the redcoat, straight in the chest. He looked back at Maddie and Michael and then he took off through the crowds of the New World.

The redcoat walked forward, short, unmeasured steps, before he fell forward and on to Michael. Maddie hopped backwards and watched her brother fall directly backwards as if by some otherworldly force, the dead shuttering redcoat atop him. Maddie looked around. A crowd was beginning to gather. She couldn't handle this. She couldn't handle another death before her eyes. Her breathing started to come out quickly and she clenched her fist. She could see more redcoats through the crowd. Her brother was yelling her name.

Maddie grit her teeth and bent down, pushing the red coat off of her brother and then quickly hopping up and grabbing his hands to yank him to his feet.

"Run!" she hissed.

And then she was off. She hoped that he was behind her. She had helped him up and out. The rest was up to him. They had done this before, after stealing. He should have been able to keep up. She couldn't stop and she couldn't look back. Her footing was her only priority. She dodged carts and people carrying their trades of the day. She moved just in time to pass a chicken and then was jerked to the side. She spun around and towards a man with shaggy brown hair and light facial hair. She scanned him quickly, took in the cross around his neck and let out a breath of relief. She watched the man peak around the booth and then pluck Michael out of the crowd.

"I didn't touch him!" Michael said instantly.

"Of course not," the man sighed, "Welcome to Fort James," he looked around the booth again and then pushed the two of them in to the crowd.

They walked straight, the man walking between them.

"Where are we going?" Maddie asked.

"The last thing you want is those soldiers asking questions," he gave Michael's shoulder a pat, "You must tread softly in this place, my son. The soldiers have one thing on the mind and it is to protect the gold," he grabbed them each by the shoulder and pulled them down a muddy walkway that led them through another series of booths, "The fur is the gold," he explained.

"Who are you?" Michael paused in his walk.

"Father James Coffin," he said matter-of-factly, "And you are."

"Michael Smyth."

He nodded and then turned to the girl.

"Maddie," she said simply, a slight nod of her head, "What's a priest doing in this part of the world?"

"Bringing the mercy of our lord Jesus Christ to these miserable sinners. And the two of you have just arrived on Lord Benton's ship. Company man are you?" he raised an eyebrow at Michael.

Maddie decided she didn't like Mr. James Coffin.

"Going in to the wilderness," Michael offered.

Maddie resisted the urge to snap at him. He didn't need to tell any random person that asked where they were truly going.

"Hm," Coffin scratched his chin.

"We're supposed to be meeting a guide," Michael sighed, "I've got this silver to pay him," Michael touched the pouch tied to his pants.

"I'm your guide," Coffin smiled.

Maddie shot her brother a look.

"You're a priest," Maddie reminded.

"Also a guide," he shot her look, "Call it a sideline, but I've seen a great deal of this wild land, Michael Smyth."

"You mention silver and the man is suddenly a walking compass," Maddie shook her head, "No. He is not our guide and you are not going to hand him the only money we possess."

Michael cast his sister a look and she refused to waver.

"I can find whatever piece of wilderness you're looking for, Maddie," Coffin assured her.

"Find it first and then you will be paid, Father," she forced a smile, "You're a man of God, you should trust us."

"Madeline!" Michael snapped.

"What?!" she snapped back.

He sighed.

"We're looking for countrymen of ours," he turned to Coffin.

"Oh?"

"We're looking for Declan Harp," Maddie enunciated his name.

"Extremely unwise," Coffin looked between them, "Declan is a madman."

"Well," Maddie closed in on her brother and nudged him, "We should look for another guide them."

"Wait, wait," Coffin grabbed Michael's arm, "Wait a moment, my son, are you sure you have enough silver to pay for a good guide?"

"Sure," Michael shrugged.

"We already told you so," Maddie huffed.

"Very well," Coffin shrugged, "I'll take you to see Declan Harp, but…" he looked around, "Let's rest up first before our long journey. I know a quiet little place."

Michael shot Maddie a look before she could even speak and she snapped her mouth shut and sighed. Coffin nodded and then started walking and Michael fell in tow. Maddie was not happy with her brother. She wasn't happy with how this situation was going.

All the same she followed the men through the bustling crowd and to building where the sound of fiddles leaked from beneath the door. She was not amused.

X

Maddie rested her face on her hands and watched her brother and Coffin drink. She was irritated. They were sitting around drinking when they should have been looking for the help they needed to save Clenna.

"Another drink, Mike?" Coffin looked around the room.

"Look," Michael set his hand over Coffin's drink, "I've already paid for our ale. I'm not paying for any more until you take us to Declan Harp."

Maddie smiled and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. Coffin sighed and then reached a hand out and jerked a man's pouch from his pants and turned back around, setting it on the table.

"This should cover it," he shrugged.

"What kind of pastor did you say you were again?" Maddie scoffed.

Michael looked from Coffin to the man and then down at the pouch.

"So, you're a thief?" Michael accused.

"It's just his price for salvation."

"And are you gonna rob us to when we turn our backs?" Maddie questioned.

"Of course not," Coffin took a drink, "You have so little between the two of you," he set his mug down, "that's a good thing," he assured them, "It means you don't have the sickness yet."

"Greed, drunkenness and thievery," Michael shot him a look.

"Yes," Coffin admitted, "among other things," he inhaled sharply, "Some people have no self discipline," he took another drink, "The sickness isn't about money," he looked between the two of them, "It's about power. Either you want more power or you want to hold on to the power you have," he sighed, "and for someone to gain power, someone else has to lose it," he licked his lips and looked down at the pouch in front of him, "You two need to know that going to the interior to meet Declan Harp may cost the pair of you your lives."

"We're willing to lose them," Maddie said instantly, and then scooted in closer to set a hand on her brother's back as he slumped forward.

"He can't handle his ale?" Coffin chuckled.

"Obviously not," Maddie forced a smile and reached beneath the table, taking the pouch off of her brother's pants and sliding it in to her pocket.

"And you don't care to drink?"

"No, never," Maddie slid her chair closer to the drunken man, "But I'll keep you company, Father."

"Thank you," he chuckled.

Maddie nodded dutifully and then prepared to stay awake until the priest fell asleep first. She scanned the tavern and then she saw it, a red coat. She squinted slightly. Chesterfield. He was here.

"I need to get Michael air," she said suddenly and stood up as quickly as possible without causing a scene.

"What?" Coffin looked around, "Why?"

"Well, because he doesn't look well," she reached for her brother's arm.

"You should just let him rest."

"Michael," she said his name softly and nudged him.

"The boy is just a little intoxicated."

"Michael!" she said his name louder.

"Going somewhere?" a hand landed on her shoulder and she sat back down without having to turn around.

"No," she looked over her shoulder, "Of course not."

Chesterfield nodded at that. He had four other men with him and the inhabitants of the tavern were looking at them. Chesterfield motioned to Michael and two of his men pulled him to a sitting position and shook him awake.

Michael looked both ways, his head obviously still groogy.

"What?" he asked softly.

Chesterfield walked over and hit Michael behind the head so hard Maddie cringed.

"What the hell was that for?!" Michael shouted.

"For having me create a party of men to look for you!" Chesterfield snapped, "and for making me track you down to a damned taver!"

"It seems we're off on the wrong foot," Coffin said simply.

"Shut it," Chesterfield cut him off, "I know who you are," he glared at him, "What are you doing with the Irish boy?"

"He's my guide," Michael held the back of his head.

"Your guide?" Chesterfield scoffed and grabbed a nearby man, "This is you damn guide!"

Maddie let her head fall backwards and she cursed under her breath.

"It's all been chaotic," Coffin said, "Michael-"

"Shut it," Chesterfield hissed, "You don't have an honest bone in your body, priest," he looked from Maddie to Michael, "This snake had no intention of taking you anywhere near Harp," he turned towards Coffin who had opened his mouth, "And if you utter a word I will cave your mouth in," he turned back to Michael, "You're lucky I found you," he smiled, "We're going to go set up camp by a nice lake and at sunrise, you will take your actual guide and look for Declan. Do you understand?"

"We understand," Maddie answered for him.

"Good," he put a hand on her upper arm and hoisted her up, "Very good."


End file.
